Getting Out of Diet Jail

I was lying on the floor in my NYC home/office — it has big windows and I was looking upside down and outside. As I was doing reverse ab curls with a Swiss ball, I saw a man leaning out the window on the top floor of the building across the street smoking a cigarette. Actually, I think he was staring at me too — not sure what he was thinking — maybe it was simply “please, spare me…” (sarcastically). In any event, seeing this guy really made me think. In fact, the first word that came to mind was “choice.”

And I have to say, choice, freedom of choice that is, is probably the most important concept that helped me lose weight, get in shape, and keep it that way. And of course, choice is a cousin of the term responsibility — I’ve written about responsibility, making excuses and choice before. (One column I’m particularly proud of is on the concept of micro choices. If you get a chance, be sure to read). Responsibility allows you to have free choice (reading my post on responsibility will better explain what I mean by that statement).
How does understanding that you have free choice help you? Knowing that I controlled my own destiny, and had the freedom to make choices, released me from “diet jail.” Yes, I was literally in what I call diet jail. For 30 years, I would go in and out of diet jail. I would get out on parole (read: lost weight), then, just like any repeat offender, I would commit a crime (read: gain weight) and end up back in diet jail. What a nightmare. I’m sure many of you know exactly what I’m talking about. Knowing that I had choices set me free for life. Think about the following:

• We are responsible for our lives. We may not be responsible for everything that happens to us but we are responsible for how we respond or react to every situation that comes our way. This is where the concept of choice comes in to play. We choose our responses. For instance, if you walk everyday and hurt your foot, you might not do any exercise for months. That’s a choice. Others might pick another exercise such as swimming. I realize this may seem like common sense but just because something makes sense doesn’t mean it’s common sense.

• Find the reason(s) WHY you want to lose weight. It helps to know why you actually want to get in shape. For health reasons? Vanity? Think you already know? Make sure. Write it down. And make sure that it’s meaningful. (Read more about this concept in my blog post “Seeing the Why.”)

• Who or what is influencing your food life? Keep track of your food influences for one week. See who or what is influencing you to eat the foods that you do? Is it the TV commercials you’re watching? The friends that you’re eating with? Family, co-workers? Highlighting your influences will help you see that you are in control of your food choices.

• When experts say “don’t diet,” make it a lifestyle. What in the world do those experts mean? They mean that you need to change behaviors (diet and exercise) to lose weight. However, to lose weight for good, you must choose behaviors you can live with forever. You need to consistently question and ask yourself, “Is this change that I just made (read: exercising at 5am every morning) something I can do forever?” or “Am I really willing to eat celery for breakfast every day?” (That’s a joke btw — just illustrating the impractical things we often do to lose weight). You need to form patterns. Make your new eating behaviors automatic by doing them over and over again. You shouldn’t need to take breaks from your “diet.” If you have to take a break, you made too many compromises in the first place and your diet will not last. New eating and activity behaviors need to be comfortable and not too restrictive.

I could go on and on but I’m interested to hear what “free choice” and “living a healthy life” means to you… also curious about your “diet jail” experiences. I think it helps to share.

Gest the Latest Health Updates

Thanks for signing up!

Oops!

A system error was encountered. Please try again later.

Follow us on your favorite social network!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charles Platkin, PhD

Charles Platkin, PhD, MPH, The Diet Detective, is one of the country's leading nutrition and public health advocates, whose syndicated health, nutrition and fitness column, the Diet Detective appears in more...read more